Starter for explosive-engines.



D. M. HARTSOUGH.

STARTER FR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. 4

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1912.

D. M. HARTSOUGH.

STARTER FOR BXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY 1a, 1912.

1,105,775, Patented Aug.4,1914

2 BHEETS-BEBET 2.

D. MAURICE HARTSOUGH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STARTER FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patenten Aug. 4., 1914.

Application filed May 18, 1312. 4Serial No. 698,191.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, D. MAURICE HART- soUeH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful, Improvements in Starters for Explosive-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to explosive or 1nternal combustion engines, and has for its especial object the provision of-an improved engine starter.

Generally stated, the invention consists of "the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In accordance with my invention, I utilize a port-ion of the gas compressed in one or more of the engine cylinders, as a medium for starting the engine. Under the control of mechanism hereinafter described, I store `this gas in a reservoir and introduce the same into the engine cylinder or cylinders to start the engine. As an additional feature of novelty, I also utilize the gas, thus storedv for illuminating purposes, suitable gas lamps or burners and gas conducting conduits being provided for that purpose.

The invention, while capable of general application in connection with explosive or internal combustion engines, nevertheless, is especially adapted for application to automobiles, and in such applications thereof, those devices which are used to control, at will, the supply of the charge into the storage reservoir and the charging of the engine, by the use of the charge thus stored, are preferably extended to the front or foot board where they will be within easy reach of the chauffeur or operator of the machine. Also, in such application, the stored gas may be utilized to supply the head light and other lamps of the machine.

The invention also involves very important and novel features of construction and arrangement of parts whereby the above noted objects or results are accomplished in an extremely simple, efficient and satisfactory manner, all of which features are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation with some parts broken away and some arts sectioned, showing my invention applied to the multicylinder explosive engine of an automobile; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the engine, some parts being sectioned and some parts belng removed; Fig. 3 is a detail in section taken approximately on the line w8 ma on Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail in front elevation showing t so-called starting valve con troller; and Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on the line m on Fig. 4.

The invention is adapted for application elther to the single cyhnder or multi-cylinder explosive engines, either of the twocycle or four-cycle type, but it involves certain highly important features which also especially adapt it for application to multicylinder engines.

The engine illustrated in the drawings will be assumed to be a four-cylinder eX- plosive engine of the four-cycle type, and of the parts thereof, it is only desirable for the purpose of this case to note the cylinders 1, the crank shaft casing 2, and the crank shaft 3, which parts may be of the usual or any suitable construction.

The numeral 4 indicates the front or foot board of an automobile.

In the application of my invention, I employ a suita le gas storage tank 5 which will be suitably supported, preferably, under the body of the automobile. This storage tank 5 is connected by a so-called charging pipe v6 to a port 7 n in one side of one of the cylinders 1. The port 7lx may be differently located, according to the pressure which it is desired to maintain in the storage tank 5, but for the purposes of this case, we will assume' that 1t is located at a point where, just before it is closed by an upward or inward movement of the piston 1*, the compression will have reached thirty pounds. Interposed in the charging pipe 6 is a normally closed so-called charging valve 7 and a valve casing 8. The arm 9 ofthe charging valve 7, is shown as connected to the front end of a rod 10, the rear end of which is eX- tended through the front board 1 of the automobile and terminates in a knob 11, which is within reach of the operator or driver. Working within the valve casing 8 is an automatically driven and properly timed rotary cut-oft' valve 12, that intermittently opens and closes the charging pipe 6, as will more fully appear in the description of the operation.l his valve may be driven in gliven one rotation for each two rotations ot y shaft.

the shaft15 is provided with a spur gear 16y that meshes with an intermediate gear 17 on the said casing. The intermediate' gear 17 meshes with a pinion 18 onv the crank shafty 3. The pinion 18. is one-half the diameter of the. gear 16, so that the shaft 15 is e crank shaft. The gears 13 and 14 are of the same diameter, and hence, the cutoH valve 12 will also be iven one Arotation for each two The upper end of each cylinder l is connected to the storage tank 5, and this may be done in dierent ways, but, as shown, it is accomplished by-a so-called starting pipe 19 which, for convenience, taps the lower portion of the charging ipe Gand is provided with branches 20 t at open into ,the upper portions of the respective c linders.

In each branch pipe 20 is a normal y closed arms 22, each connectedto one end of an lndividual operatin 4rod 23. r1`he other ends of the operating roids 23 are brought forward, and, as an important feature of this invention, are connected tol inn dividual bearings 24 that are circumferentially spaced and connected preferablyz to a laterally flexible metal ring 25. The rlng 25 may be supported in different ways, but, as shown, this is accomplished by passing the rear ends of the rods 23 through guide passages 26 formed in the front board 4. As there are four cylinders, and hence four operating rods 23, the rod branches 24 are equi-distantly spaced on quadrants of the ,iexible ring 25 to which they are attached.

Located at the aXis of the bearing ring 25 and mounted for rotary and limited endwise movements in bearings 27 and 28, respectively, on the rear cylinder 1 and in the front board 4, is av shaft 28, shown as provided with a sprocket 29 that alines with the sprocket 30 secured to the gear 14, or otherwise connected for-rotation therewith. The sprockets 29 and 30 are of the same size, and a sprocket chain 31 runs over the same, so that the shaft 28 will be driven at the same rate as the intermediately acting cutoffvalve 12, that is, will be given one rotavalve 21 having .tion for each two rotations of the\engine crank shaft, this being, assumed, a fourcycle engine. Rigidly secured to the outer or-,rear end of the shaft 28 is a so-called selecting arm 32, preferably provided at its free end with a roller 33, is. adaptedA to engage and run over or againsty the flexible ring 25. The so-called selecting'arm 32 is so positionedv in respect to the direction kof rotations o the engine lcrank.,v

its rotation and is so timed in respect to the engine crank shaft, that it will aline, in sucjust commenced its outward or downward movement of an explosion stroke, or stroke corresponding in time to the explosion stroke. The purpose of. this vwill more fully 'appear in the description ofthe operation'.

The rearward movement ofthe'shaft 28 is limited b afstop collar 34 thereon,'which engages t e bearing 27, and it is yieldingly pressed rearward by a coiled vspring 35, shown as compressed between said bearing 27 and the hubof the arm 32. As shown, an operating knob 36 is swiveled to the extreme rear end of the shaft 28. Coiled springs 23, as shown, are connected tothe rods 23 and to the front board 4, lindependently operate to press the said rods rearward and to hold the corresponding starting valve's21, normally in closed pos1tions. v

In Fig. 1, the numeral 37 indicates a head.

light or other lamp of the automobile, the same, as shown, being connected to the storage tank 5 by '3, pipe 38 which taps the charging pipe 6. In the pipe 38 is areduction valve 39. The charging pipe 6 is pro'- videdewith a check valve 40' which permits a flow of as under pressure from the engine cylin er into the storage tank 5, but

checks a reverse ow. The Startins,r pipe 19 is shown as rovided with twocheck valves 41 and 42, w ich operate in the .same direction and both of which permit the flow of gas from the storage tank into theengine cylinders, but check a reverse How. The two check valves are provided only for)I additional safety against back-.liringfrom the Cylinders into the storage tank. The numeral 43 indicates a pressure gagey shown as located on the front board I4 and con# nected to the storage tank 5 by a smalll pipe 44. v Y

Operation: The operation is substantially as follows: When there isy n0 pressure in the storage tank or when the pressure therein is too low, to-wit, lower than the .assumed desirable pressure of thirty pounds vper square inch, the pumping' mechanism is thrown into action by the operator who simplypulls on the stop l1 and thereby opens the charging valve 9. When this is done, the rear cylinder and piston in' the construction illustrated, will be rendered yoperative as a pump to force the compressed` gas into the storage tank. The manner in which this charging is further controlled is, as follows: The cut-0H valve 12 is sotimed that `it'will open the charging pipe for a Ashort interval of time during the compression stroke of the rear piston and .while the said piston is moving approximately from a position in which the pressure has reached thirty pounds, and duringA this interval, if the char g valve 9 be open, as stated, gas will be` orced from the rear cylinder into the charging tank, providing t e pressure of the said charging tank is lower than thirty pounds. Gas wlll `not be forced into the said tank from the said cylinder after the pressure therein on the compression stroke exceeds thirty pounds, because, at that time, the iston will have closed the port 7. At al other times except during the short interval just noted, the cut-oli valve 12 closes the charging pipe 6,- so that there is no communication between the cylinder and the charging tank at any time during the explosion stroke or during the exhaust stroke, or admission stroke. Hence, the obvious importance of the said cut-off valve timed to run automatically, as stated. The check valve 40 prevents back surging of the gas from the storage tank into the cylinder during a short interval of time while the valve 12 opens the charging nipe and during a part of which time the pressure within the cylinder, While above twenty pounds2 will be less than thirty, and when, at certain times, the pressure in the tank 5 may be less than thirty-pounds, but more than twenty pounds. The charge of the gas must, of course, take place While the engine is in action. The operator, when noting on the indicator 43 'that the pressure in the storage 7 'is considerably below thirty pounds, starts the pumping action and recharges the reservoir, as above stated.

Gas for lichting purposes is, as is evident, always available. The reduction valve 39 must, of course, beof the character which Will properly reduce the high pressure gas to a pressure proper for burning.4 The tank or burner may be of any suitable character,

and, if necessary, any suitable auxiliary device may be employed for supplying additional air to the gas at the burner or at any other suitable point.

No matter in what position the engine crank shaft stops, the piston of one or the other of the cylinders will be at some part of its working stroke, so that the introduction of gas, under pressure into that cylinder, will have the eff-ect of starting the engine, and furthermore, the so-called selecting arm 32 Will be in position Where, if pressed forward, it will operate on the corresponding rod 32 through the flexible ring 25 and will open the starting valve 21 of that cylinder. If, when this is done, the piston referred to was at the beginning .of its workin or explosion stroke, the initial charge into the first cylinder Will usually be suflicient to start the engine. But at any rate, it Will be sufficient to impart an initial movement to the engine crank shaft, which will, if the arm 32 be still pressed rearward, immediately the purpose of imparting initial` movement to t e crank shaft and instantly rendered available as the explosive medium, and thus the engine will be started and its action may be continued by the explosions which follow,

and while relying upon the carbureters suply and charges for the initial explosions. his, as is evldent, makes it unnecessary to prime the 'cylinders by the introduction of gasolene, as has frequently been necessary under certain conditions of the atmosphere. As is obvious, there will be no harm done even if the arm 32 be held in action longer than necessary. As the several springs 36 will automatically close the starting valves 23 in the roper order of succession, the roller 33 oi) the said arm 32 passes out of action on vthe rods 23. This positively insures a good starting action, requires no skill onl the part of the operator. Otherwise stated, the device is what is frequently designated as fool proof. The selection of the roper cylinder in the control of the intro- Suction of the initial charges of gas mto the cylinders is automatically taken care of by the timing of the so-called selecting arm 32 in respect to the crank shaft and pistons.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a multi-cylinder explosive engine, of a storage reservoir adapted to contain an elastic fluid under ressure, conduits connecting the engine cylinders to said reservoir, normally closed starting valves in said conduits', and valve actuating connections including a rotary selector driven from said engine with a properly timed action, and valve actuating rods grouped about said selector and arranged to be successively acted upon by saidselector, when the latter is rendered operative, and to thereby progressively open said starting valves in the proper order of succession.

2. The combination with a multi-cylinder explosive engine, of a storage reservoir adapted to contain an elastic fluid under pressure, conduits connecting the cylinder of said en ine to said reservoir, normally closed startlng valves in said conduits, valve actuating connections comprising a selector rotated from the engine and having a lateral movement, and valve actuating. rods independently connected to said starting valves and having circumferentially spaced portions adapted to be operated u on in succession, by said selector, when t e latter is moved laterally, and to therebyy progressively open said starting valvesin the proper lsively open said starting valves.

4. The combination with an explosive engine of the four-cycle type, of a storage reservoir, charging and startingconduits connecting said reservoir, respectively, to the intermediate portion ofone side and to the compression end of the cylinder of said engine, a valvein said'charging conduit for controlling the transfer of compressed gas from the engine cylinder into said storage tank, 'and a valve in said charging conduit for controlling the supply of ygas from said tank to the engine cylinder for starting thel engine.

5. The combination with an explosive engine of the four-cycle type, of a storage reservoir, charging and starting conduits connecting said reservoir, respectively, to the intermediate portions of one side and to the compression end of the cylinder of said engine, a valve in said charging conduit for controlling the transfer of compressed gas from the, engine cylinder into said storage tank, a valve in said charging conduit for controlling the supply of gas from said tank to the engine cylinder for starting the engine, and check valves in said charging and starting conduits.

y 6. The combination w-ith an explosive engine of the four-cycle type, of a storage reservoir, charging conduits and starting conduits connecting said reservoir, respectivelv, to the intermediate portion of one side and to the compression end of the cylinder of said engine, a normally closed charging valve in said charging conduit, a rotary cutoff valve, means for driving said rotary cutoii' valve from the'engine crank shaft with a properly timed action, for opening the same during the compression stroke, and a normally closed starting valve in said starting conduit.

7. The combination with an explosive engine of the four-cycle type, of a storage reservoir, charging conduits and starting conduits connecting said reservoir, respectively, to the intermediate portion of one side 'and to the compression end of the cylinder of said engine, a normally closed charging valve in said charging conduit, a rotary cutoil valve, means for driving said rotary cutoff valve from the engine crank shaft vwith a properly timed action, for opening the same during the compression stroke, a normally closed starting valve in said starting conduit,

conduit communicating With one engine cylinder' through the intermediate portion of one side wall thereof, saidstarting conduit having branches leadingto the compression ends of the several cylinders, normally closed starting valves in the several branches of said starting conduits, and a selector driven from the engine with a properly timed ac.- tion and progressively operative to open said starting valves in succession when thrown into action.

9. The combination with a multi-cylinder engine, of a storage reservoir, charging conduits and a start-ing conduit in communication with said storagel tank, said charging conduit communicating with one engine cylinder through the intermediate portion of one side wall thereof, said starting conduit having branches leading to the compression ends of the several cylinders', normally closed y 'l starting `valves in the several branches of f said starting conduits, and a cut-ofi valve in 'said charging conduit driven from the en-l gine with a properly timed action for opening said conduits.

10. The combination Witha multi-cylinder engine, of a storage reservoir, charging conduits and a starting conduit in communication with said storage tank, said charging conduit communicating with one engine cylinder through 'the intermediate portion of one side wall thereof, said starting con'- duit having branches leading to the compression ends of the several cylinders,fnormally closed starting valves in the several branches of said starting conduits, a selector driven from the engine with a properlyl timed action andprogressively operative to lopen said starting valves in succession when thrown into action,` and. a cut-oftI valve in said charging conduit driven from the enginev with a properly timed action for opening saidconduits.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature in presence of two witnesses. y

` D. MAURICE HARTSOUGH. i Witnesses: l

HARRYD. KILGORE, F. D. MERCHANT. l 

